Building community in Two Dot

After 82 years, residents of Two Dot still chuckle over the March 29, 1927, fire that destroyed the Congregational Church and parsonage. Not that it was particularly funny at the time. Loss of the church undoubtedly resonated as a tragedy in the little ranching town within viewing distance of the Crazy, Snowy and Belt mountains. But over time, the community developed a sense of humor about the disaster and the small boys who ignited it. Now it’s everyone’s favorite piece of Two Dot lore. It was branding time and all the adults were busy with hot irons and terrified calves, the story goes. Little boys were shooed out of the way as the adults concentrated on the serious business at hand. Nobody paid much attention to the children, who had been busily capturing gophers all morning for a branding party of their own. They’d sneaked upstairs to a room in the empty parsonage and started a fire in a collection plate aiming to mark their captives with irons they’d made out of wire...read more

I'll bet there were some Ewings at that gopher brandin'.